Core Viewpoint - Oracle Corp is facing a complex situation as it invests heavily in AI cloud infrastructure while still returning significant capital to shareholders through dividends, highlighting a notable capital allocation strategy in the tech sector [1]. Group 1: Dividend and Shareholder Returns - Oracle will distribute approximately $1.4 billion in dividends despite an anticipated cash burn of nearly $23 billion for the fiscal year [1]. - Larry Ellison, co-founder and executive chair, holds over 40% of Oracle stock, making him the largest recipient of dividends, which complicates any potential changes to the dividend policy due to governance implications [2]. - The company has reduced its share buybacks significantly, from $21 billion in 2021 to around $600 million recently, making dividends the primary method of returning value to shareholders [4]. Group 2: Market Dynamics and Implications - Dividend-focused funds and ETFs, such as the First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund and the DAC 3D Dividend Growth ETF, hold Oracle stock for its dividend payouts, indicating that suspending the dividend could lead to forced selling and additional stock pressure [3]. - The commitment to dividends is influenced by the ownership structure and market expectations, as Oracle balances its AI infrastructure investments with its multibillion-dollar dividend obligations [5]. - The dividend serves not only as a yield for investors but also as a governance signal that may impact Oracle's funding strategies for its AI initiatives in the future [5].

Group 1 - The U.S. and China have approved a deal for TikTok's U.S. business to be sold to a consortium led by Oracle Corp. and Silverlake, resolving a long-standing dispute over national security concerns [1] - The agreement allows ByteDance to retain just under 20% ownership of the U.S. business, while Oracle, Silverlake, and MGX will each hold 15% stakes [2] - Additional investors in the deal include Susquehanna, Dragoneer, and DFO, which is associated with Michael Dell's family office [2] Group 2 - The transaction is aimed at meeting a January 22 deadline set by the Trump administration, which required ByteDance to divest its U.S. business or face a ban due to national security issues [4] - The deal is estimated to value TikTok's U.S. unit at approximately $14 billion, although the final sale price has not been disclosed [5] - Negotiations regarding TikTok's algorithm, a key point of contention between the U.S. and China, remain unclear [5] Group 3 - Oracle shares experienced a 3.09% increase, trading at $179.25 at the time of publication [6]

Oracle and OpenAI have aimed to build $500 billion of data centers by the end of the decade to power their artificial intelligence ambitions. But the massive initiative, called Stargate, may be exhausting the supply of available capital.JPMorgan Chase, the bank that recently led a pack of lenders to extend roughly $38 billion of debt for the construction of two planned Stargate data center campuses in Texas and Wisconsin, has encountered diminished interest as it has sold off pieces of the loan to other fi ...

Core Viewpoint - The fourth quarter of 2025 experienced a sharp 5% sell-off followed by a quick recovery, with global stocks reaching all-time highs, influenced by concerns over a potential AI bubble and subsequent strong earnings from NVIDIA [4][5]. Portfolio Performance & Attribution - The Polen Global Growth Composite Portfolio returned -2.5% gross of fees and -2.7% net of fees in Q4 2025, underperforming the MSCI All Country World Index, which returned +3.3% [7]. - Top relative contributors included Eli Lilly, Alphabet, and Shopify, while Oracle, Paycom Software, and CoStar Group were the largest detractors [7][8]. - Eli Lilly's stock rallied over 40% in Q4 due to strong financial results and a favorable agreement on drug pricing, despite earlier concerns [8]. - Oracle's performance reversed from the previous quarter, primarily due to skepticism regarding its future revenue tied to OpenAI, impacting its stock negatively [9]. Portfolio Activity - New positions were initiated in Tencent Holdings and Spotify, while positions in Sage Group, Willis Towers Watson, ICON Plc, and Workday were eliminated to fund these investments [10][11]. - Tencent has shown consistent earnings growth of over 30% annually for the past three years, and its valuation is considered reasonable for sustainable revenue growth [11]. - Spotify is viewed as a leading streaming network with significant growth potential, expecting over 20% annual free cash flow growth for the next five years [12]. Outlook - The datacenter capital expenditure cycle is expected to continue, driven by increasing demand and supportive government policies, suggesting a favorable environment for growth in revenues and earnings for key players [17]. - The portfolio is positioned to deliver above-average earnings growth, with a focus on sectors outside of the AI and datacenter themes, ensuring resilience regardless of market drivers [18].

SYDNEY--(BUSINESS WIRE)---- $III #ISGProviderLens--Enterprises across Asia Pacific are adopting Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) to embed intelligence into core business operations, ISG says. ...

International News - US natural gas futures prices saw a significant increase, with intraday gains reaching up to 30%, currently reported at $5.083 per million British thermal units, after previously recording increases of 29%, 28%, and 27% [1][7] - Precious metals market showed a downward trend, with spot gold prices dropping below $4820, $4810, $4800, and $4790 per ounce, with daily declines of 0.25%, 0.44%, 0.64%, and 0.86% respectively [1][7] - Spot silver also faced pressure, falling below $93, $92, and $91 per ounce, with daily declines of 1.68%, 2.93%, and 3.74% respectively [1][7] - US stock market performed strongly, with all three major indices closing up over 1%, the Dow Jones up 1.21%, Nasdaq up 1.18%, and S&P 500 up 1.16% [1][7] Individual Stocks - Intel shares rose over 11%, reaching a four-year high; AMD increased by 8.3%, SanDisk by over 10%, Western Digital by over 8%, and Micron Technology by over 6% [2][8] - The Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index rose by 2.22%, with notable gains from individual stocks such as New Oxygen up 14.93%, Baidu up 8.20%, and Century Internet up 7.17% [2][8] - OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman is meeting with top investors in the Middle East to pursue a new round of financing of at least $50 billion, with a post-funding valuation expected between $750 billion and $830 billion [2][8] - Apple plans a major overhaul of Siri, transforming it into a built-in chatbot with new features expected to launch later this year [2][8] Company Dynamics - French dairy company Lactalis announced a recall of multiple batches of infant formula in 18 countries, including China, due to potential contamination with Bacillus cereus toxin [3][9] - Ubisoft canceled the development of six games, including the remake of "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" and four unannounced titles [3][10] - The American Petroleum Institute (API) reported an increase of 3 million barrels in US API crude oil inventories last week, compared to a previous increase of 5.278 million barrels [3][10] - President Trump expressed hope for the retention of Kevin Hassett in his current position, with the shortlist for the Federal Reserve chair narrowing to two or three candidates [3][10]

Core Viewpoint - The U.S. stock market experienced a significant rebound following President Trump's cancellation of new tariffs on European countries and his announcement of a "framework agreement" regarding Greenland [1][3]. Market Performance - The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 1.21%, closing at 49,077.23 points; the S&P 500 increased by 1.16%, ending at 6,875.62 points; and the Nasdaq Composite gained 1.18%, finishing at 23,224.82 points [2]. Political Developments - Trump stated at the World Economic Forum in Davos that he would not use military force to acquire Greenland, which positively influenced the stock market. He mentioned a productive discussion with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, leading to a future agreement framework concerning Greenland and the Arctic region [3]. - Trump had previously announced a 10% tariff on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland, set to take effect on February 1, with a potential increase to 25% by June 1 if an agreement on Greenland was not reached [4]. Market Reactions - The stock market had previously declined sharply due to Trump's escalation of tariff threats and the possibility of military action regarding Greenland, marking the worst single-day performance since October 10 [6]. - The market's reaction to Trump's tariff cancellation reflects a trend where investors no longer assume his statements will be executed, indicating a level of unpredictability in his administration's policies [7]. Stock Performance - Major technology stocks mostly rose, with Nvidia up 2.95%, Apple up 0.39%, Microsoft down 2.29%, Google up 1.98%, Amazon up 0.13%, Meta up 1.46%, Tesla up 2.91%, Broadcom down 1.14%, Oracle down 3.36%, Netflix down 2.18%, Micron Technology up 6.61%, AMD up 7.11%, and Intel up 11.72% [7]. - Chinese concept stocks also saw gains, with the Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index rising 2.21%, Alibaba up 3.87%, JD.com up 2.43%, Pinduoduo up 1.40%, NIO up 2.41%, Xpeng up 1.70%, Li Auto up 2.48%, Bilibili up 5.65%, Baidu up 8.17%, while NetEase fell 4.07%, Tencent Music down 0.80%, and Pony.ai up 2.55% [7].

Core Viewpoint - A class action lawsuit has been filed against Oracle Corporation regarding the issuance of senior notes, alleging that the Offering Documents contained misleading statements about the company's financial needs for AI infrastructure [1][4]. Group 1: Lawsuit Details - The lawsuit claims that Oracle failed to disclose the need for significant additional debt to build its AI infrastructure at the time of the Offering, which raised concerns about the creditworthiness of the bonds [4]. - Investors are encouraged to join the class action lawsuit, which allows them to seek compensation without upfront costs through a contingency fee arrangement [2][5]. Group 2: Rosen Law Firm's Credentials - Rosen Law Firm has a strong track record in securities class actions, having achieved the largest securities class action settlement against a Chinese company and being ranked No. 1 for securities class action settlements in 2017 [3]. - The firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors, including over $438 million in 2019 alone, and has consistently ranked in the top 4 for securities class action settlements since 2013 [3].

Core Viewpoint - Rosen Law Firm has initiated a class action lawsuit against Oracle Corporation, alleging that the company misled investors regarding its business operations and financial needs related to AI infrastructure [1][2]. Group 1: Allegations - The lawsuit claims that the Offering Documents contained false or misleading statements and failed to disclose that Oracle would need significant additional debt to develop its AI infrastructure [3]. - It is alleged that Oracle was already organizing to raise this additional debt, which could jeopardize the creditworthiness of the bonds issued [3]. Group 2: Legal Representation - Investors may be eligible to participate in the class action against Oracle Corporation, with representation provided on a contingency fee basis, meaning shareholders incur no fees or expenses [4]. Group 3: About Rosen Law Firm - Rosen Law Firm is recognized for its commitment to shareholder rights litigation, having recovered over $1 billion for shareholders since its inception [5].

Group 1: AI Impact on Economy and Capital Markets - Artificial Intelligence (AI) presents both significant opportunities and threats to the economy and capital markets, with the potential to enhance productivity and create new industries while also posing risks of labor displacement [2][6][8] - In 2025, AI-related companies like NVIDIA, Palantir, and Alphabet saw substantial stock gains, indicating strong market interest and investment in AI technologies [4][12] - AI's ability to automate tasks and improve efficiency could lead to a productivity boost, which is crucial for economic growth, especially in aging economies [6][7] Group 2: Market Valuations and Concentration - The S&P 500 Index shows a high concentration, with the top ten companies accounting for nearly 40% of the index, raising concerns about overvaluation and lack of diversification for investors [11][12][13] - The average price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio for the top ten S&P 500 companies is significantly higher than historical averages, suggesting that these stocks may be overvalued [12][15] - Elevated valuations could lead to lower future returns, as higher purchase prices for earnings result in diminished return on investment [15] Group 3: Financing and Investment Risks - AI companies are engaging in vendor financing arrangements, creating a feedback loop where investments are made based on projected growth, which raises concerns about sustainability and profitability [16][17] - The reliance on private credit markets for financing AI initiatives has increased, with many companies borrowing significant amounts, which could lead to risks if these companies fail to generate expected revenues [18][19] - The mismatch between the rapid evolution of technology and the long-term nature of private credit loans poses additional risks, as companies may struggle to keep up with advancements while repaying older debts [20][21] Group 4: Global Investment Opportunities - Despite concerns in the US market, there are attractive investment opportunities in undervalued assets globally, particularly in emerging markets and specific sectors like technology and healthcare [24][25] - Emerging markets are benefiting from positive demographics and structural growth, making them compelling investment options compared to developed markets [25] - The potential for a weaker dollar could further enhance the attractiveness of non-US investments, providing a hedge against domestic economic challenges [24]